2020 BMW 4-Series Cabriolet Goes Back To A Traditional Soft Top

Unlike its predecessor, the next-gen BMW 4-Series Convertible will sport a foldable soft-top system, which is lighter and cheaper to produce compared to a hard-top. It can also make convertible cars look more stylish, in a classic sort of way.

Then again, a soft-top isn’t as well insulated as a hard-top, which offers better protection not only from the weather, but also from anybody looking to slash their way into your car. In the end, BMW seems perfectly OK with the trade-off.

Looks like a small 8-Series

Even though we’ve seen plenty of images of BMW’s upcoming 3-Series in both Sedan and Touring form, rest assured that the 4-Series model will look different, same as with the current car.

So expect a more low-slung appearance, a more elegant form factor (Coupe and Convertible), and a slightly different design language.

Unfortunately, these prototypes (both the ones spied on the transport truck and the road) are very well camouflaged, making it hard for us to pinpoint what its headlights or taillights might look like, or whether its front and rear fascias are going to resemble those of the recently unveiled 8-Series. In a way, it seems as though they might, because this prototype’s overall shape does sort of take us back to when we saw our first 8-Series Cabrio under wraps. Yet, the kidney grille pattern seems to be similar to the one on the all-new Z4.

A 3-Series-like cabin

It’s highly unlikely that the Bavarians are going to experiment with the interior of the all-new 4-Series. Whether it’s the convertible or the coupe, it should feature the exact same dashboard design and on-board technology as its 4-door sibling, the G20 3-Series.

This means a new gauge cluster display, new shifter like in the 8-Series Coupe, new Infotainment system with touchscreen and swivel wheel controls and loads more. There will also be a separate button to operate the soft-top, obviously.

BMW is likely to continue using four and six-cylinder units for the new-generation 4-Series, especially in markets such as North America. In Europe, we might even see an entry-level three-cylinder version of the car, but that’s just speculation. Nearer to the top of the 4-Series spectrum, we can expect M440i and M440d xDrive versions, pointing up at a future M4 Cabriolet flagship with as much power as the M3.

Both the next-gen 4-Series Coupe and Cabrio models should enter markets worldwide sometime in 2020, taking on the two door versions of the Mercedes C-Class and Audi A5.

*Article has been updated with new photos